The morning of the second day, Nangong Jun and the rest of the houseâs elders brought a restrained Nangong Ping to the Temple of Cleansing Fireâs entrance. They found Assistant Temple Master Gao before the Bounty Arena had even opened.
âBrother Gao, I must apologize profusely. I have taught my son poorly and caused you much trouble.â These were the clan headâs first words of great recalcitrance to the assistant temple master.
Temple Master Gao harrumphed. He glared at Nangong Ping, the latterâs face pale and frightened. âHmph! I donât know what to say. Is one loss not discouragement enough for you to refrain from a second offense? Do you think that the Nangong clan is the greatest beneath the heavens? Even if Emperor Peerless hadnât been present, Arena Lord Shao is not someone you can trifle with. What gave you the confidence to challenge him?â
The harsh words the assistant temple master had sent to Nangong Jun prior was mere posturing, meant for the common observer. Deep within his heart, he knew that this wasnât something they would fall out over.
The questions mark the end of the affair for him, Nangong Jun realized. The assistant temple master had no intention of breaking away from the Nangong clan after all. He gave a swift kick to his sonâs rear. âApologize right away to Uncle Gao, you lout! Beg him for forgiveness. If heâs not satisfied with your apology, then youâre no longer my son!â
These words bound the assistant temple master on a moral level. Assistant Temple Master Gao gave a convincingly helpless smile. âBrother Nangong, there are no outsiders here, so I can speak plainly. It is no trouble for me to forgive your son, his lack of manners aside, but I am not the one in charge here. Emperor Peerless is the one displeased this time.â
âEmperor⊠Peerless? He and that Arena Lord Shao⊠are they close in some way?â Nangong Jun couldnât help but ask.
âBrother, thereâs no point in asking me that. The problem right now is clear: the emperor is really quite upset.â
Nangong Ping made a bitter face. âBrother Gao, I am a slow man. This problem has turned my brain to mush. You are much smarter than I. Can you give me an idea?â
âI can put in a good word in for you, but I donât know if itâll be enough to exonerate you in Emperor Peerlessâs sight.â Assistant Temple Master Gao sighed. âThe emperorâs recent appearance in Pillfire is odd enough by itself. From what I see, he has something on his mind. There is no other reason for a man as clement as he to be so ill-tempered. Well, I suppose itâs also possible that his admiration for Shao Yuan is just that strong.â
âThen Iâll go talk to him about it right away. We are willing to accept any claim of compensation that the emperor asks for.â Nangong Jun did not dare become upset at this revelation. A great emperor realm cultivatorâs authority and clout were absolute. The thought of opposing Emperor Peerless did not cross his mind for even a second. Despite the fact that the emperor was a wandering cultivator, no less. The head of the Nangong clan was perfectly clear on the fact that a single great emperor could annihilate his entire house rather easily.
âIf you go to Emperor Peerless right now, youâll only be running yourself into trouble. The root of the matter rests on Arena Lord Shao Yuan. Why not reconcile with him first? After all, he was the⊠ahem⊠victim in both conflicts.â Assistant Temple Master Gao begrudged Jiang Chen somewhat. Why did a youth have such a fiery temper? What was once a mild inconvenience had been blown up into a significant matter. But it wasnât the young manâs fault at the end of the day. From the Templeâs perspective, he had no grounds to offend the arena lord.
Emperor Peerlessâs attitude towards him aside, if the youth really was from Myriad Abyss Island, the Temple of Cleansing Fire wanted to avoid slighting him at all costs. As for the Nangong clan? If they really did offend someone from Myriad Abyss Island, there was no telling what kind of pain they were in for.
âBrother Gao, youâre telling me to apologize to the young arena lord?â Nangong Jun was a bit hesitant. He felt no burden in having to bow to Emperor Peerless. Asking forgiveness of an intrepid youngster was a lot more difficult, mentally speaking. He was a person of some status here in Pillfire City, an expert at ninth level emperor realm. Lowering his head in front of a young man was, at best, mildly humiliating.
Nangong Junâs expression chilled Assistant Temple Master Gaoâs tone. âBrother Nangong, the Nangong clan is the party that has a problem, so itâs your call at the end of the day. Iâve given you a suggestion, but thereâs nothing more for me to say if you canât accept that advice.â
Beads of cold sweat formed on Nangong Junâs forehead. Assistant Temple Master Gaoâs coolness scared him. âThat, erâŠâ
âI have other matters to attend to. Please excuse me.â The assistant temple master spoke with some indifference.
Nangong Jun felt himself collapse into a mess. He smelled the thick stench of danger in the temple masterâs demeanor.
âHouse Head, the situation presses against us. If we must yield, then we should.â One of the elders urged.
âWe donât know what kind of backing the young arena lord has. Since Emperor Peerless thinks so highly of him, perhaps he is of much nobler origins than we imagine.â
âYes, Nangong Ping is the cause of the problem in the first place. Thereâs nothing wrong in apologizing, right?â
âIf you canât bear losing face yourself, send Nangong Ping instead. We will back him up from the sidelines and butter the young man up a bit. Anything to make amends.â The elders were inexplicably frightened by the assistant temple masterâs attitude as well. They were aged and experienced enough to sense the oncoming crisis, just the same as Nangong Jun had.
âImpossible!â Hearing that he was being made to apologize, Nangong Ping yelled. âIâd rather die than apologize.â
âSilence, fool!â Flustered and exasperated, Nangong Jun gave his son a vicious slap. âHavenât you made enough trouble?â
âNangong Ping, youâve brought great disaster upon our house. Enough stubbornness!â
âIf you were not the house headâs son, you would be dead to house law several times over. Does being the young master of the Nangong clan make you remarkable? No matter how good you think you are, thereâs always someone better out there!â
âIsnât that right! From what Assistant Temple Master Gao says, that young man has enormous backing. Fighting with him when you canât win? Donât even think about it. Can you endure Emperor Peerlessâs ceaseless fury?â The Nangong clanâs elders were truly angry now. They didnât care that Nangong Ping was the house headâs son any more and showered him with loud insults.
Nangong Jun became purple in the face. His voice was shiveringly cold. âIf you insist on being so hard-headed, you nitwit, then I have no choice but to renounce you!â
Nangong Ping had seen his father irate before. This time, however, his fatherâs fiercely contorted expression was finally enough to strike a shred of fear into him. He had a feeling that if the current problem wasnât settled, he was quite likely going to die at his fatherâs hand. As lawless as the young man was usually, this was enough to bring horror to his face.
âTell me!â Nangong Jun was infuriated. âAre you going to listen or not?â
His upraised palm tipped his son off that if the answer was ânoâ, heâd be lying down in the next moment.
âI⊠I am, yes.â There was evident panic in Nangong Pingâs tone.
Nangong Junâs forearm trembled slightly. He let out a long sigh, his whole person looking several hundred years older. âFool, fool⊠Youâve spent all of the Nangong clanâs face today. This is the last time. If you still canât make something of yourself after this, then Iâd rather cripple you than have you around stirring up more trouble!â
âŠ...
âArena Lord Shao, everything is our fault. I did not teach my son well, and Iâve brought the moron in question before you. Do with him as you like. Even if you kill him in the process, we shall not complain.â Nangong Jun humbled himself before the youthful young lord.
Jiang Chen glanced sidelong at the house head, smirking to himself. Admittedly, the older man was a very good actor. For one, his flexibility alone marked him a thousand times superior than his worthless son. After a short pause and a frosty look, he replied icily. âIâm curious. Where does the young master Nangongâs confidence come from? Why does he look down on the rest of us so?â
Nangong Pingâs own eyes narrowed like a venomous snake. Still, he had the semblance of a brain, and quickly drooped his head when he noticed his fatherâs fierce gaze. âArena Lord Shao, I was the blind one this time. Iâm sorry. Will you forgive me?â
âIâm not interested in such an insincere apology,â Jiang Chen snickered. âWhether you gnash your teeth internally or not is of no matter to me. Thatâs as much as you can amount to doing, eh? Whether you hate me or fear me is no business of mine. Youâre nothing but a flea to me.â
It was an intensely demeaning statement. Nangong Ping felt blood rush to his head. Nangong Junâs own heart dripped blood at the insult against his son as well. Still, he knew that he had to bear any degradation that took place now, regardless of how debasing it was. One couldnât profitably go against the tide of things.
âYou are a first-rate genius, Arena Lord Shao. Commanding two arenas at such a young age⊠truly a man among men. My son has many awful habits, and Iâve spoiled him too much. Will you let a witless child off just this once? We will forever appreciate your magnanimity.â
âI know that youâre swallowing some very bitter medicine right now to plead with me, head of the Nangong clan. Are you worried that Emperor Peerless will give you hell for this?â
âNo, no, weâre very sincere. We seek only to douse your fury, Arena Lord Shao.â Nangong Jun explained hurriedly.
âOh, thatâs easy enough. Everything has its price, no?â
A price? Nangong Jun was pleased to hear it. Any concessions that the arena lord wanted was good news to him. In the grand scheme of things, the young man holding a grudge was much more problematic. Any greed on the youthâs part made it significantly more straightforward!
âWhat compensation would you like, Arena Lord Shao? If itâs at all in our power, we will spare no expense.â Nangong Jun pledged devoutly.
âI only want Nangong Pingâs Cloud Devouring Tiger.â Jiang Chen was perfectly fine with resolving the affair on material condition. Why let go of an opportunity to fleece a family of villains?
âCloud Devouring Tiger?â Nangong Jun bellowed to his son. âGive it up at once, you dolt!â
Nangong Ping was despondent, but nevertheless wilted at once. âIt is kept in the Qinyun Residence at home.â
âSend for it at once!â Nangong Jun shouted.
Before long, the âCloud Devouring Tigerâ in question was brought here. Nangong Jun gave it several once-overs before personally offering it up. âArena Lord Shao, this Tiger is now yours. About my sonâŠâ
Accepting the Tiger unceremoniously, Jiang Chen casually waved a hand. âYou can leave. You will hear no more of this particular affair. Whether you want peace or war in the future, thatâs up to you.â
Nangong Jun was exuberant. Finally, the problem was solved.
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JC making out like a bandit alright!